Rachel put her hand over Avery’s where it rested on top of the cream-colored lace duvet. “You need to take it slow. Stop pushing yourself. Or your body is going to shut down and force you to again.”
“I understand.”
“Do you?”
“Yes,” Avery reassured her and pulled her hand away.
Rachel began to gather her supplies. “I grew up with the Wolff brothers and I know they can be a bit rebellious, so tell me the truth. Are you in a position to rest and heal?”
A loaded question if she ever heard one. So many things were happening she wanted to be anywhere but here. On the other hand here was exactly where she wished to stay. She trusted Quinn like no one else and her feelings were changing, no matter how hard she tried to deny it.
God, could her life be more of a mess? Falling for her bodyguard. How foolish and cliché was that?
After seeing the bandage on his arm and knowing he almost died because of her, she was in deep. The thought of losing him had hit her square in her heart and she knew at that moment she was dangerously close to falling in love with him.
Her stomach dropped to her feet and her throat closed. The same reaction she’d gotten every time she looked at the engagement ring on her finger.
“Avery?”
Snapped out of her thoughts, she said, “Yes, I’m fine.”
“I know that, but are you able to rest and heal?”
Dr. Rachel McBride was like a dog with a bone. “At Quinn’s house, yes.”
Rachel nodded. “Good. Then I’m ordering you back to Quinn’s. Be sure to rehydrate, eat, and rest. Deal?”
Liking her, Avery smiled. “Deal.”
Rachel put her stethoscope in her bag. “I’m leaving my card. Call me anytime, day or night.”
Avery accepted the business card.
“I mean it. Anytime.”
“Got it. Thank you.”
“Anything else I can do for you?” She slung her bag over her shoulder.
Avery shook her head.
“Then I’ll go tell Ellen you need rest and Quinn’s is the best place to do that. He’ll take good care of you. He always takes care of those he loves.” There was a note of sadness in her voice, but she shook it off and smiled. “Take care of yourself, Avery.”
When she reached the door Avery stopped her. “Rachel. Thanks for keeping this between us.”
Rachel’s smile was soft as she opened the door. “You’re welcome.” Then she was gone and Bailey came into the room.
“Everything go okay?”
Avery nodded.
“Mom isn’t going to let you leave until you’ve eaten her broth and at least one piece of bread.”
“How do you know I’m leaving?”
Bailey picked up the tray and placed it over Avery’s lap. “Aren’t you?”
“Yes, but…”
“I’m pretty good at reading people.”
She must be if she’d figured that out already. Avery stared down into the bowl of homemade broth. The scent was tantalizing enough to make her pick up a spoon and take a bite. Flavors burst on her tongue and she moaned. Most of her life was spent on the road, eating on the run. This was real home cooking.
“Good, isn’t it?” Bailey asked.
Around another bite, she said, “Delicious.”
“Finish up and I’ll go talk to Mom. She isn’t going to be happy about you going to Quinn’s where she can’t take care of you.”
Baffled, Avery watched her walk out the door. Why on Earth would Quinn’s mother be upset that she was leaving? And why would she want to take care of the woman who’d caused the death of her youngest son?
Chapter Fourteen
“I don’t like Avery being at Quinn’s in her state,” Ellen said to Frank as he stripped out of his shirt and tie. He tossed the tie in the closet and turned to look at her. Wearing her nightgown, her hair pulled into a tight bun, he was struck by the beauty and strength of his wife. How he’d gotten lucky enough to have her was a mystery, even after thirty-five years of marriage. She had handled herself today like the gracious, strong woman he fell in love with. But, her walls were crumbling.
“Quinn’s a medic. He’s trained to treat injuries.”
“I know, but he’s a man. No offense, honey, but men aren’t nurturers. Especially our boys.”
“None taken,” Frank said with a tiny smile. She wasn’t wrong. The Wolffs were warriors. Nurturing wasn’t programmed in their genes.
“I’m going to go over there in the morning and check on Avery.”
Frank grabbed his wife by the shoulders. “Ellen, she’s in good hands. Bailey drew you a nice, hot bath. Why don’t you prepare for that?” He understood her need to coddle and nurture, but this time it wasn’t the best thing. He’d seen the deer-in-headlights look Avery gave them all, as if waiting for them to explode on her. The thought never crossed his mind, and knowing his wife as he did, it hadn’t hers either. She was a tender, loving woman with a kind heart. Despite what Avery claimed, he knew the truth of what his boys did for a living and the risks they took.
Ellen knew it too and although she hid it well, she worried every time they were away. It was one of the many things he loved about her.
“A bath,” Ellen scoffed. “If it wasn’t for that bath I never would have seen Avery’s bruises.” She sucked in a deep breath. “You didn’t see her, Frank. Someone hurt her.”
A tear rolled down her cheek and he pulled her into his arms and let her cry softly on his chest. Nothing Avery did would turn Ellen’s attention away from nursing her back to health. Dani was one of her cubs, but after tonight, so was Avery. Despite having found her in the tub with Quinn. Not that it surprised Frank any. He’d seen the way Quinn hovered over Avery, the possessiveness, and how he looked at her. Thirty-five years ago he had looked at his wife the same way. No matter what had happened in Azbakastan, his son was in deep.
Quinn hadn’t shared much about what happened to Avery before they rescued her, but it was enough to know she’d been tortured and was still in danger. Why else would Quinn have whisked her away from a woman who nurtured for a living? He was protecting them, and Frank had every intention of finding out what danger lurked on their doorstep.
Before bed, he would check the perimeter and make sure the security system was booted. His .45 was in a lock box in the top drawer of his nightstand.
Better if Ellen focused on Avery’s injuries than the possibility of danger. His boys would take care of the threat and he would take care of the rest.
“Quinn has to protect her,” Ellen sobbed quietly. “So she doesn’t get hurt again.”
“He will.”
“I need to check on her frequently.”
“Okay.”
With a nod she wrapped her arms around him and they held each other until her tears subsided. Then he took his wife to bed, the bath forgotten, and held her through the night. Not because she needed it. But because he did.
****
Dani carefully hung up her black dress in the closet on a padded hanger. She wanted to tear it into shreds, but that wouldn’t take away the numbness inside her. Nothing would do that.
Except…
Glancing at the bathroom door, she grabbed a robe and crossed the hall. Evan was downstairs watching UFC. He had the television turned down low. She hated that the Wolffs thought they needed to babysit her.
She closed the door behind her and stared at herself in the mirror above the sink. The circles under her eyes were darker. Her skin was pale, despite makeup. Had she lost weight?
Ryan would hate seeing her like this. He liked to touch her skin. Everywhere. Said it felt soft, like silk. She especially liked it when he ran his fingers down her back. Sometimes in public, he would trail his fingers down her spine just to tease her. She’d be so turned on she couldn’t wait to get him home.
Her breath shuddered from between her lips and she bent over with an arm clutched to her midsection where she ached from loneliness.<
br />
“I miss you,” she whispered as tears leaked from beneath her lashes. “Why did you have to leave me?”
When no answer came she straightened, opened the medicine cabinet and grabbed the bottle of pills that was noticeably lighter. Not caring, she popped the lid and tossed two down without water.
Soon, the pain would subside and she would be numb.
****
“What aren’t you telling me?” Avery asked as she gingerly walked up the steps to Quinn’s front door. Relief at finally getting out of his parent’s house—which took most of the day—quickened her steps. He’d tried to carry her, but she was done with that. No one had ever carried her and she wasn’t going to start relying on anyone now. Especially when it was so easy to do with him.
Behind her, Quinn said, “Nothing. Just get inside.”
He’d been particularly gruff since he came back from his meeting with his brothers. Something bothered him; he just wasn’t sharing.
“Liar.”
They crossed the deck and he reached over her to hold the door open so she could walk in. The familiar scent of sandalwood surrounded her the instant she stepped inside the house. Much more comfortable than his parents’.
“Go sit down.” Quinn passed her so he could carry her bags into the spare bedroom. She continued on to the sofa, wondering how long they were going to tiptoe around the elephant in the room. They hadn’t spoken of being caught bathing together and it hung between them.
What could she say? Quinn guessed what happened to her, saved her from reliving it. He helped her get past her fear. Patiently, and with no regard to the erection she’d felt pressing against her bottom as warm water lapped around them like silk.
If Quinn’s mother hadn’t walked in…
“Want a drink?”
Snapped out of her thoughts, Avery looked up to see Quinn striding toward the kitchen. “Yes.” A nice stiff drink sounded good right now. Bourbon. Maybe a glass of brandy to calm her nerves.
She dropped down on the sofa and seconds later Quinn returned with two bottles of water. He handed one to her and she took it.
“Water?” she questioned, twisting off the cap.
“It’s the best thing to rehydrate you. I’m gonna check the house.”
Avery watched him walk away, full of restless energy, and not like him. He was always calm, in control, never rattled.
As he moved from room to room she sipped her water. Weary, she watched him take the stairs two at a time. By the time he returned she had finished the entire bottle. His cell phone beeped and she heard him speaking to someone. As his voice drew closer, she looked up to see him holding the phone out to her. “It’s your aunt. I had her calls forwarded to my phone.”
Sitting up straight, Avery took the phone and put it to her ear. There was only one reason her aunt would be calling.
“Aunt Celia. Is everything all right?”
“My check is late.”
Just as she suspected. All of her financial assets were tied up until she could get back to her office. The minute they’d reported her deceased, all of her assets had been frozen and that would delay payments to her aunt. It didn’t surprise her that her aunt wasn’t concerned about her welfare, or even relieved to discover that Avery was alive, but it hurt more than she cared to admit. Her mother and her sister had been estranged before Avery went to live with her and Celia never let her forget what a burden she was.
She glanced at Quinn. “I should be able to get to a computer and contact my office in the morning. I’ll get it sorted out.”
Quinn didn’t refuse her, so she took that as a good sign. The cat was out of the proverbial bag since the reporters stormed the house two days ago, so there was no reason for her to stay in hiding.
“Good.” A pause. “Is that Quinn Wolff good? Because I’d hate to have my checks cut off.”
Something softened inside her. It wasn’t a vow of love, but she’d take it. “Quinn is a capable bodyguard. You have nothing to worry about.” She glanced at Quinn. Something flared between them. Not for the first time.
“I’ll be waiting for that money.”
This time it didn’t rankle. She was too busy looking at Quinn’s chest and the way his shirt molded to his muscles. Memories of how broad and strong those arms and shoulders were distracted her from what her aunt said.
“Avery? Are you listening?”
Snapped back to reality, she answered, “Yes, I’m listening.”
“Then you’ll take care of it?”
Something in her chest shifted. Something she’d spent years trying to bury. She knew what it was and didn’t want to feel the hurt or disappointment. “Yes.”
“I’m taking you at your word. Now, let me talk to that man.”
Avery handed the phone back to Quinn, who spoke briefly and hung up.
“What did she want to talk to you about?” she asked him.
He sat down next to her feet, lifted them into his lap, and met her eyes. “You.”
She stiffened, tried to pull away, but he held tight.
“She wanted to make sure you had access to a computer. Care to tell me why?” Quinn asked, his hands circling her ankles, heating her skin.
“You’re not going to let this go, are you?
“Nope.”
To her surprise tears popped into her eyes. “She needs me to unfreeze my accounts so I can send her a check.”
“A check?”
She shifted in attempt to get away.
He squeezed her ankle. “Tell me.”
“Fine.” She stared out the windows at the serene beauty surrounding his home, searching solace. “My parents were hit by a drunk driver when I was eight. They didn’t suffer, from what I was told. The driver is still in prison.”
“Christ, Avery, I’m sorry.”
Avery shifted more comfortably on the sofa. “Thanks. I went to live with my aunt Celia. My mom’s sister. But, they pretty much hated each other and she never let me forget what a burden it was for her to take me in. I grew up poor, working at fifteen to pay the bills because her disability checks weren’t enough.”
His hands were massaging her insoles, turning her into a pile of quivering jelly. “I worked my ass off to get out of there. My grades qualified me for a study-abroad program in Uganda my senior year. Besides, being poor we qualified for grants so I was given a full-ride for a year-long program. I hated being a charity case.”
His hand slid up her calf, stirring heat inside her. “You went anyway.”
“Hell, yes. It changed my life. I learned about other cultures, saw suffering worse than my own. The oppression of women and girls, the injustice.” She paused, unable to share how much she related to those women and girls having grown up poor and bullied for it.
“I found my calling in a small village where I met a young girl named Dembe who started following me around as we toured. She couldn’t read or write, but she was so eager to learn. Every day, during my free time, I would sit and read to her. She began to mimic my words. She sealed my fate. I knew that I would spend the rest of my life helping girls just like her.”
Images of Dembe flashed through her head. Dembe smiling at her, watching her with those curious, dark eyes. Dembe’s hand covered in blood as she touched Avery’s cheek and asked her to never stop reading her ‘good books.’ Slaughtered along with her village because of narrow-minded men who wanted to suppress change.
Quinn’s hand rubbed her calf muscles, jolting her out of the past. Before he grilled her about things she didn’t want to talk about, she continued. “I graduated, went to college on scholarships and got my Masters in Public Health, but I concentrated on Humanitarian Assistance and Health and Human Rights. I volunteered with non-profit organizations involved in human aid and a few years later had the funding to open Books for Change.” She left out the part that her motivation for starting her own organization began with a beautiful little girl and a promise made in blood.
Quinn’s hand wrapped arou
nd her knee. “And you send money to your aunt monthly?”
Avery sighed. “She’s all I have, despite her feelings about me. She was injured on the job years ago and she can’t work. She took me in when I needed somewhere to go. It’s the least I can do for her.”
“She takes your generosity for granted.”
She shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I owe her. I could have ended up in foster care.” A thought occurred to her. “You don’t think my aunt is in danger, do you?”
“No, but I can call in a favor and have the local PD patrol her house.”
“Thank you.”
His hands on her skin, the warm evening breeze floating through the windows, the way he immediately offered protection for her aunt twisted her emotions. It would be so easy to love this man. But, wasn’t that what she did? Fell for the knight in shining armor? She had fallen for Tim when he stepped in and became her investment banker, helping her get her business off the ground and keep it financially stable. Then, taking a seat on her Board of Directors. She’d fallen for the confident way he handled her and her finances.
Until he started pushing her to settle down and take a less active role in the field. Wanting her to spend more time in the office running her business, not out there putting her life in danger. Then, he’d given her the ultimatum: Set a wedding date and start running her business from her office so they could have a life together, or call it off.
He thought he’d backed her into a corner. That she’d set a date. She still remembered how the room began to spin at the prospect of staying in the office and not delivering books to women and girls all over the world. Breaking her promise to Dembe.
She would rather die than be stuck behind a desk. Even her own. That’s why she’d hired a competent office manager and had trusted members to run the business so she could be in the field doing what she loved.
That promise couldn’t be broken for any man. She couldn’t risk it again.
Pushing abruptly to her feet she said, “I think I’ll turn in.”
****
Quinn let Avery go, sensing her need to be alone. He waited until her bedroom door closed to lean his head back against the sofa. She still hid secrets, not trusting him enough to tell him what she kept buried. He’d wanted to pry it out of her, but knowing her as he did, she’d only dig her heels in deeper.
Maximum Risk Page 16